A cajón (Spanish pronunciation: [kaˈxon], “crate,” “drawer,” or “box”) is a box-shaped percussion instrument originally from Peru, played by slapping the front face (generally thin plywood) with the hands.
Today, the cajón is heard extensively in Cuban, Coastal Peruvian or Musica criolla musical styles: Tondero, Zamacueca and Peruvian Waltz, modern Flamenco and certain styles of modern Rumba.
The modern cajón is often used to accompany the acoustic guitar and is showing up on worldwide stages in contemporary music. In fact the cajón is becoming rapidly popular in styles such as blues, pop, rock, funk, world music, fusion, jazz etc. It is also often referred to as a drum kit in a box or cajón box.
